GB1324485A - Apparatus for preparaing oxygen from air - Google Patents

Abstract

1324485 Apparatus for oxygen preparation; gas/solid contacts BENDIX CORP 5 Aug 1971 [20 Aug 1970] 36888/71 Headings B1F and B1X [Also in Division C1] In preparing oxygen by the formation of barium peroxide from barium oxide, followed by the dissociation of the formed peroxide, the solid reagent i.e. the barium oxide, is arranged in a series of containers e.g. 27, 28 positioned in a housing 10, each container having an electric heating element 46, 48, and being adapted to retain the barium oxide in contact with the heating element whilst permitting gas to flow through, the housing having an outlet port 14 connected selectively to an evacuating apparatus 20, or to the ambient atmosphere and an inlet port 12 connected selectively to an evacuating apparatus 20 or to a source of pressurised air, the housing also being connected via the evacuating apparatus to a storage tank. In operation, the barium oxide is heated via the heating element and a stream of pressurised air is passed through the housing until substantially all the oxide is converted to peroxide, the housing is then evacuated, and the resulting oxygen stored in the tank 21. Preferably the containers are supported by at least one rod e.g. 24, 26 electrically insulated, e.g. by supports 23, 25, from the housing. In a preferred embodiment one rod is situated centrally of the chamber and a plurality of rods surround it. Preferably as shown the series of containers is arranged to form a series of baffles to deflect the flow of air over the barium oxide whilst still permitting the easy evacuation of the housing. The containers 27 and 28 preferably have a screen top 32 and a screen bottom 31, attached to a frame 30 to form a closed container. In another embodiment (Fig. 3 not shown) the housing and trays are rectangular. The heating elements preferably comprise a plurality of coils.